Responsible Surveillance

​I’ve been thinking about the phrase “responsible surveillance,” and honestly it’s an oxymoron. Governments and privacy just don’t mix. Not because they hate each other, but because they ​can’t​. Surveillance is about collecting information. Privacy is about keeping it to yourself. You can’t have both.

Sure, governments should respect privacy. But look at it from their side — miss a threat, and they’re a failure. Surveillance isn’t optional; it’s survival. Corporations aren’t much different. Their business is your data. Expecting them to suddenly care about your privacy? That’s wishful thinking.

So yeah, they have responsibility. But trusting them to get it right? I’ve stopped fooling myself. Their priorities and mine rarely line up. That means defending your own privacy is on you. Waiting for perfect protection from them is just waiting.